The American Gold Buffalo is one of the most spectacular gold coins ever struck by the United States Mint. This coin features a near-exact rendition of the 1913 Buffalo Nickel, but it is minted in .9999 pure gold. The Buffalo Nickel struck between 1913 and 1938, and it is one of the most popular coins ever struck. Its classic Wild West design of a Native American Chief and an American bison symbolizes the American frontier, which was still prevalent in the American consciousness in 1913.
For decades, many numismatists lamented the passing of the Buffalo’s iconic design; however, in 2001, the U.S. Mint struck a Silver Dollar that replicated the nickel in both Brilliant Uncirculated and Proof condition. The coin was wildly popular with numismatists and sold out in a matter of weeks. Inspired by the success of the Buffalo Silver Dollar, the Mint reprised the design once again in 2006, making the American Gold Buffalo coin the first U.S. gold coin ever struck in .9999 gold.
Mint State Gold Buffalo
Chart
| Year | 1 oz | 1/2 oz | 1/4 oz | 1/10 oz |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 337,012 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2007 | 136,503 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2008 | 189,500 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2008-W Burnished | 9,074 | 16,908 | 9,949 | 17,429 |
| 2009 | 200,000 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2010 | 209,000 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2011 | 250,000 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2012 | 100,000 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2013 | 198,500 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2014 | 180,500 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2015 | 223,500 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2016 | 211,000 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2017 | 99,500 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2018 | 121,500 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2019 | 61,500 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2020 | 242,000 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2021 | 355,500 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2022 | 410,000 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2023 | 44,000 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2024 | TBD | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Mint State Gold Buffalo
Chart
| Year | 1 oz | 1/2 oz | 1/4 oz | 1/10 oz |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 246,267 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2007 | 58,998 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2008 | 18,863 | 12,169 | 13,125 | 18,884 |
| 2009 | 49,306 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2010 | 49,263 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2011 | 28,683 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2012 | 19,714 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2013 | 18,570 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2014-W | 20,557 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2015-W | 16,591 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2016-W | 21,878 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2017-W | 15,810 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2018-W | 15,756 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2019-W | 14,844 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2020-W | 11,887 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2021-W | 16,958 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2022-W | 15,879 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2023-W | 16,000 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2024-W | 16,000 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
* Estimated Mintages. The figures on these mintage charts are based on the United States Mint’s production sales figures.
Design of the American Buffalo Gold Coin
The obverse of the gold buffalo coin features a noble Native American, which James Earle Fraser, the designer of the nickel, said was a montage of the features of several different individuals. On the obverse face, the inscription “Liberty” can be read just to the right of the Native American, while the mint year and mint mark can be found on the lower-left portion. The reverse design features a bison modeled after “Black Diamond,” a New York Central Park Zoo resident and the most famous “buffalo” of the day. Above the beast, we read “United States of America” and “E Pluribus Unum”. At the bison’s feet, the nation’s motto, “In God We Trust,” is inscribed along with the gold’s face value and purity.
The American Gold Buffalo coin is undoubtedly one of the most artistic gold coins ever issued by the U. S. Mint. Its unique combination of a near-exact rendition of a classic coin design and pure gold content makes it beloved by numismatists. Some numismatists prefer to own their Gold Buffalos in high independent grades certified by the world’s leading coin grading companies, Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) and Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS). Because the coins graded by these firms are sonically sealed in acrylic holders, the quality of the coins are somewhat protected from inadvertent damage, and you can enjoy holding and examining these exquisite gold treasures without concern.
1 oz. Gold Buffalos
Buffalo Gold coins were first minted in 2006 – and for the first time in history, the U.S. Mint created a one-ounce bullion coin minted in 99.99% (pure 24-karat) fine gold to compete with the world bullion market. The Indian Head and Buffalo design crafted for the nickel by James Earle Fraser in 1913 was chosen as the design for this new coin in part because the nickel series (1913-1938) was popular with collectors and features an American icon. The very popular silver commemorative issues from 2001 bearing a similarly modified version of Fraser’s nickel design further strengthened the case for remastering the design once again for this new $50 denomination gold coin.
1 oz. Proof Buffalo Gold Coins
Proof strike Buffalo Gold coins have been minted since the inception of the program in 2006. The ‘mottled’ appearance of the surface of the original Fraser nickel design was carefully remastered into the field areas of these proof coins, giving the proof Buffalo Gold coins a unique appearance. The proof coins of this series were specially minted for collectors and generally have a very low mintage compared to Gold Eagles.
The series is wildly popular with stackers and numismatic collectors alike. The Gold Buffalo series was the first ongoing series struck in .9999 fine gold by the U.S. Mint. Currently, the American Gold Buffalo series is struck only in the 1 oz. size. Proof coins feature one of the finest finishes in numismatics. Multiple strikes, specialty preparation, handling, and polishing of the dies and planchets will produce these high-quality coins. They also tend to have lower mintages than their business strike counterparts. The Iconic American Gold Buffalo Proof 1 oz. coin can serve as a spectacular gold coin in your collection or as the first in a new collection of icons of American Numismatics.
Fractional Gold Buffalos
Due to the success of the Buffalo Gold coin, the U.S. Mint offered the 99.99% fine gold coins in four different denominations as a four-coin set and as singles in 2008. Both proof and mint state coins were offered. They proved to be highly successful sellers as many collectors who liked the design but couldn’t afford the one-ounce gold coins finally had smaller, less expensive versions from which they could choose. These Fractional Gold Buffalos were offered in 1/10, 1/4, 1/2 and 1 ounce sizes. The Mint discontinued the “fractional” Gold Buffalo offerings after 2008, making the three smaller sizes into one-year types.
Certified American Gold Buffalos
In 1949, a famous numismatist named Dr. William H. Sheldon developed what is referred to as the Sheldon Grading Scale. This system determines the condition of a coin using a 70-point system based on the simple reasoning that a coin that receives a “70” is most likely worth 70 times that of a coin that receives a “1.” This system, which has become the industry standard, is used by the most trusted and respected third-party grading services, the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) and Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), and when buying Mint State Gold Buffalo Coins, you’ll want to ensure it has been certified to these standards.
ModernCoinMart has been in continuous business since 2004, and having earned an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, we can assure you that any American Gold Buffalo Coin purchased from us is certified with the highest standards. We are members of the prestigious Professional Numismatists Guild, as well as Life Members of the American Numismatic Association and Florida United Numismatists, further ensuring that quality is on your side with each and every coin purchase.
